"2570-29" - читать интересную книгу автора (Jerome Bigge - Warlady 8 - The Queen Of Time)THE QUEEN OF TIME 2570 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Twenty Nine "I was about ready to have my guard `comb' the city for you two!" Maris Marn exclaimed as Carol and I staggered back in, both of us several sheets to the wind at least, the brownette having a "hollow leg" that I'd had a hard time matching drink for drink... With the Queen of Dularn was everyone else, including Janet too! A couple of the Royal Guard with us, seeing we got this far now. Both of them having wooden faces trying to conceal their grins... "Been planning ourselves a `WAR'!" Carol grinned drunkenly back at the Queen, who didn't seem to think too much of either of us right now as she stood there with a robe pulled around herself against the chill of the night. Darlanis grinning to herself, while Bob looked concerned and Hope somewhat "ashamed" of Carol! "Tara's been making `trouble' again," I informed the Queen. "I'll take over from here," Bob smiled, going to his wife. "Here, Lorraine, lean on me," Janet Rogers smiled to me. "You know, you do look a little like me," I said to her. "I'll come along and `help'," Sharon now volunteered. "Put your drunken old stepmother to bed?" I grinned. "You took care of me lots of times," she reminded me. "You were one of the `good' parts of my life," I smiled. "The `morning after'," Maris grinned, looking at me as I joined them for breakfast, Carol giving me a smile and a nod too, the dark circles under her eyes leaving no doubt of our drinking. I could have slept another couple hours, but we had much to "do", or so at least Maris had so told me here when her slave awoke me. Maris tends to be a little "plump", not objectionably so, but I'd sweat ten pounds off her if I still owned her, I'll mention here. Janet Rogers smiling, in "appearance" almost as "old" as Carol... I wondered if I'd look like that in another fifteen years or so. "Probably still a battle or two left in her," Bob grinned. "There is a rather amazing resemblance between you and her," Maris commented as we ate, looking at me and then at Janet there. "People used to think we were `mother and daughter' back in the 20th Century," I smiled back, recalling the glances we'd get. Both Janet and I were brunette, dark eyed, tall and rather slim. I'm the taller of the two, but we did look a lot alike now too... "We share the same blood types, the same fast reaction times, and we are both `skilled' with the sword," Janet answered. "I `doubt' that I could `match' Lorraine, but I've `bested' Carol quite a few times, as I'm sure she'd admit if you ask her here." "She fences like you," Carol grinned, nodding over at Janet. "And she's also `bested' Hope a number of times," Carol "added". "There's nothing in the history books of it," Maris spoke. "I never wished to fence in competition," Janet replied. "How `good' are you?" I asked Janet as we squared off in Ma- ris' exercise room, everyone including Tori Wells watching us... If Janet could "best" Hope she could well be a "Queen of Swords". "Don't know, never got `beat' after the first year or so," Janet laughed back. "Hope gave me the best `fights' of any," she grinned, taking a secure grip of her foil as we faced each other. It being obvious here that I might have to "exert" myself a bit! I reached out, tapped Janet's foil with mine. Her sudden attack so swift that I could only partly parry it, having to even dodge down and to one side! And not even Darlanis could DO THAT! Janet coming in at me like none ever has, her attack so much like the "sort" I use that it was almost as if I was fighting myself!! "I'd do `better' if I was ten years younger," Janet smiled as we drew apart, the Leaderess' swordsmanship truly awesome yet! "I'm glad we're `friends'," I grinned, returning her attack. Putting all my awesome skills learned over a lifetime into play! Not even Darlanis herself could stand against such an attack, but Janet Rogers DID! The thought going through my mind that perhaps I'd finally met a woman who was actually my own EQUAL here! And that woman had been Janet Rogers, THE JANET ROGERS of legend, who had died in the year 2045. The woman who had once "ruled" Earth! I was aware of only Janet's foil, of countering her attacks. She was an aggressive swordswoman, like none I've ever faced be- fore. Her fighting style so very much like my own has become... She was so "good" that I was being forced to use all of the old "tricks" that I've learned in a lifetime of fencing and actual combat, tricks for which she had an "answer" for every one too!!! "Always wondered how `good' I was," Janet breathed, stepping back, both of us breathing hard from this swift interplay that I had no doubt had amazed everyone there who had seen it. A match that in its way perhaps I think represented the absolute "limits" of what can be achieved with the foil. "Taught Hope a lot too." "You're obviously the 21st Century's greatest swordswoman," I admitted, suspecting that in all the history of swordsmanship she probably ranked only second to me. And unlike Hope, Janet had a "killer instinct" that I knew would really tell in combat!! "I am `of the Warrioresses'," the old Leaderess smiled back. I recalled too that she'd often spoken of such things, such being written up in the history books. She was probably the "first"... "I'm glad we're `friends'," I smiled, putting away my foil. "If anything happens..." Maris breathed, looking out the window as it grew dark, a fine mist of rain now falling as the sun set unseen there in the west. The "thought" going through my mind that like Carol, she was probably "good in bed", especially if you liked them a bit on the "plump" side as many men did here. "It won't," Carol snapped, the tone of her voice betraying. "I'd feel better if neither of you were going," Maris said. I had no doubts what she was "implying" here, nor did Carol too! "I'm not `over the hill' quite yet, Maris!" Carol snapped. "Easy," Bob smiled, now hugging the brownette to himself. "Be `careful', Lorraine," Sharon spoke, touching my arm. "The `Organization' has been `roughing up' our `sisters'," Landis Dan said, Darlanis beside me hooded to conceal her fea- tures, that beautiful blonde hair that makes her so stand out. "Trying to make us `knuckle under' and pay them `protection'..." Tori nodding, glancing at her three "volunteers" from her force. "They are also running their own `girls' against us here too..." "And you need some `champions'?" Bob now "grinned" in reply. Landis Dan was good looking, and her skirt was even shorter than Carol's, I'd noticed, Bob still yet being a man who noticed such! "You could `say so'," Landis Dan smiled right back at him. "About like what I did for Lara when she started," Darlanis mused, her eyes gleaming like two sapphires meeting mine in turn. The Empress' skill with a blade only surpassed by Janet and me. "We can't afford to hire the swords we need," Landis said, explaining that the criminal organization sent out its "goons" in groups of up to half a dozen "toughs" to "shake down" the girls! The fact that all the women carried swords, and that many of them were quite competent swordswomen didn't deter the "goons" either! There being very few swordswomen who can stand against such odds. "You have a Queen, it should be her duty to offer `protec- tion'," Darlanis spoke in level tones, the "implications" plain! "In the Empire your Guild enjoys the `protection' of the Crown," she added, making a "point" that I was glad Maris wasn't hearing! "Such `protection' has its `price'," Carol pointed out then, Darlanis' `price' having been the Guild's own "independence" too. "Our `problem' is fighting criminals, not `politics," Janet spoke up then, a "note" to her voice that left no doubts of "who" she was. A woman who had one time had ruled the entire Earth... "And there should be no `partnership' between government and `or- ganized labor'," she pointed out, Darlanis nodding back in reply. "She's still the `same' as ever," Carol grinned as the oth- ers left to go to their own "positions". Darlanis, Janet, and Hope in one group, Tori and her own Warrioresses in the other. I wasn't too "sure" about Tori and her women being able to handle a force of say half a dozen men at a time, but Tori said that she was a capable swordswoman, and that those with her were the best. "Different political philosophy," I smiled, well aware that Darlanis was somewhat "liberal" in her own political beliefs too! "I `respect' our Queen, but I don't want to `serve' her like those in the Empire have to serve Darlanis," Landis Dan added... I'd put an "end" to such things in Trelandar, although I too did "use" the Guild from time for my own political purposes here too! On the other hand I was more "honest" with the women, and tried to see to it that they understood just "why" I was doing so here. "I don't think Lara ever had a `choice'," Bob mused in turn. A bar wench bringing the drinks we'd ordered, the four of us for all practical purposes posing here as just being common patrons. "She's basically a very `good' person," I spoke, rising to Darlanis' "defense". "A sort of `She-Ra' in some ways," I added. "Hillary Clinton wasn't an `evil' person either," Carol then said, sipping now at her drink. "At least she didn't think so." "The `Queen of America'," Bob grinned, "That was Hillary." THE QUEEN OF TIME 2570 A.D.! A TALE OF ADVENTURE IN THE SECOND DARK AGE By Jerome B. Bigge Chapter Twenty Nine "I was about ready to have my guard `comb' the city for you two!" Maris Marn exclaimed as Carol and I staggered back in, both of us several sheets to the wind at least, the brownette having a "hollow leg" that I'd had a hard time matching drink for drink... With the Queen of Dularn was everyone else, including Janet too! A couple of the Royal Guard with us, seeing we got this far now. Both of them having wooden faces trying to conceal their grins... "Been planning ourselves a `WAR'!" Carol grinned drunkenly back at the Queen, who didn't seem to think too much of either of us right now as she stood there with a robe pulled around herself against the chill of the night. Darlanis grinning to herself, while Bob looked concerned and Hope somewhat "ashamed" of Carol! "Tara's been making `trouble' again," I informed the Queen. "I'll take over from here," Bob smiled, going to his wife. "Here, Lorraine, lean on me," Janet Rogers smiled to me. "You know, you do look a little like me," I said to her. "I'll come along and `help'," Sharon now volunteered. "Put your drunken old stepmother to bed?" I grinned. "You took care of me lots of times," she reminded me. "You were one of the `good' parts of my life," I smiled. "The `morning after'," Maris grinned, looking at me as I joined them for breakfast, Carol giving me a smile and a nod too, the dark circles under her eyes leaving no doubt of our drinking. I could have slept another couple hours, but we had much to "do", or so at least Maris had so told me here when her slave awoke me. Maris tends to be a little "plump", not objectionably so, but I'd sweat ten pounds off her if I still owned her, I'll mention here. Janet Rogers smiling, in "appearance" almost as "old" as Carol... I wondered if I'd look like that in another fifteen years or so. "Probably still a battle or two left in her," Bob grinned. "There is a rather amazing resemblance between you and her," Maris commented as we ate, looking at me and then at Janet there. "People used to think we were `mother and daughter' back in the 20th Century," I smiled back, recalling the glances we'd get. Both Janet and I were brunette, dark eyed, tall and rather slim. I'm the taller of the two, but we did look a lot alike now too... "We share the same blood types, the same fast reaction times, and we are both `skilled' with the sword," Janet answered. "I `doubt' that I could `match' Lorraine, but I've `bested' Carol quite a few times, as I'm sure she'd admit if you ask her here." "She fences like you," Carol grinned, nodding over at Janet. "And she's also `bested' Hope a number of times," Carol "added". "There's nothing in the history books of it," Maris spoke. "I never wished to fence in competition," Janet replied. "How `good' are you?" I asked Janet as we squared off in Ma- ris' exercise room, everyone including Tori Wells watching us... If Janet could "best" Hope she could well be a "Queen of Swords". "Don't know, never got `beat' after the first year or so," Janet laughed back. "Hope gave me the best `fights' of any," she grinned, taking a secure grip of her foil as we faced each other. It being obvious here that I might have to "exert" myself a bit! I reached out, tapped Janet's foil with mine. Her sudden attack so swift that I could only partly parry it, having to even dodge down and to one side! And not even Darlanis could DO THAT! Janet coming in at me like none ever has, her attack so much like the "sort" I use that it was almost as if I was fighting myself!! "I'd do `better' if I was ten years younger," Janet smiled as we drew apart, the Leaderess' swordsmanship truly awesome yet! "I'm glad we're `friends'," I grinned, returning her attack. Putting all my awesome skills learned over a lifetime into play! Not even Darlanis herself could stand against such an attack, but Janet Rogers DID! The thought going through my mind that perhaps I'd finally met a woman who was actually my own EQUAL here! And that woman had been Janet Rogers, THE JANET ROGERS of legend, who had died in the year 2045. The woman who had once "ruled" Earth! I was aware of only Janet's foil, of countering her attacks. She was an aggressive swordswoman, like none I've ever faced be- fore. Her fighting style so very much like my own has become... She was so "good" that I was being forced to use all of the old "tricks" that I've learned in a lifetime of fencing and actual combat, tricks for which she had an "answer" for every one too!!! "Always wondered how `good' I was," Janet breathed, stepping back, both of us breathing hard from this swift interplay that I had no doubt had amazed everyone there who had seen it. A match that in its way perhaps I think represented the absolute "limits" of what can be achieved with the foil. "Taught Hope a lot too." "You're obviously the 21st Century's greatest swordswoman," I admitted, suspecting that in all the history of swordsmanship she probably ranked only second to me. And unlike Hope, Janet had a "killer instinct" that I knew would really tell in combat!! "I am `of the Warrioresses'," the old Leaderess smiled back. I recalled too that she'd often spoken of such things, such being written up in the history books. She was probably the "first"... "I'm glad we're `friends'," I smiled, putting away my foil. "If anything happens..." Maris breathed, looking out the window as it grew dark, a fine mist of rain now falling as the sun set unseen there in the west. The "thought" going through my mind that like Carol, she was probably "good in bed", especially if you liked them a bit on the "plump" side as many men did here. "It won't," Carol snapped, the tone of her voice betraying. "I'd feel better if neither of you were going," Maris said. I had no doubts what she was "implying" here, nor did Carol too! "I'm not `over the hill' quite yet, Maris!" Carol snapped. "Easy," Bob smiled, now hugging the brownette to himself. "Be `careful', Lorraine," Sharon spoke, touching my arm. "The `Organization' has been `roughing up' our `sisters'," Landis Dan said, Darlanis beside me hooded to conceal her fea- tures, that beautiful blonde hair that makes her so stand out. "Trying to make us `knuckle under' and pay them `protection'..." Tori nodding, glancing at her three "volunteers" from her force. "They are also running their own `girls' against us here too..." "And you need some `champions'?" Bob now "grinned" in reply. Landis Dan was good looking, and her skirt was even shorter than Carol's, I'd noticed, Bob still yet being a man who noticed such! "You could `say so'," Landis Dan smiled right back at him. "About like what I did for Lara when she started," Darlanis mused, her eyes gleaming like two sapphires meeting mine in turn. The Empress' skill with a blade only surpassed by Janet and me. "We can't afford to hire the swords we need," Landis said, explaining that the criminal organization sent out its "goons" in groups of up to half a dozen "toughs" to "shake down" the girls! The fact that all the women carried swords, and that many of them were quite competent swordswomen didn't deter the "goons" either! There being very few swordswomen who can stand against such odds. "You have a Queen, it should be her duty to offer `protec- tion'," Darlanis spoke in level tones, the "implications" plain! "In the Empire your Guild enjoys the `protection' of the Crown," she added, making a "point" that I was glad Maris wasn't hearing! "Such `protection' has its `price'," Carol pointed out then, Darlanis' `price' having been the Guild's own "independence" too. "Our `problem' is fighting criminals, not `politics," Janet spoke up then, a "note" to her voice that left no doubts of "who" she was. A woman who had one time had ruled the entire Earth... "And there should be no `partnership' between government and `or- ganized labor'," she pointed out, Darlanis nodding back in reply. "She's still the `same' as ever," Carol grinned as the oth- ers left to go to their own "positions". Darlanis, Janet, and Hope in one group, Tori and her own Warrioresses in the other. I wasn't too "sure" about Tori and her women being able to handle a force of say half a dozen men at a time, but Tori said that she was a capable swordswoman, and that those with her were the best. "Different political philosophy," I smiled, well aware that Darlanis was somewhat "liberal" in her own political beliefs too! "I `respect' our Queen, but I don't want to `serve' her like those in the Empire have to serve Darlanis," Landis Dan added... I'd put an "end" to such things in Trelandar, although I too did "use" the Guild from time for my own political purposes here too! On the other hand I was more "honest" with the women, and tried to see to it that they understood just "why" I was doing so here. "I don't think Lara ever had a `choice'," Bob mused in turn. A bar wench bringing the drinks we'd ordered, the four of us for all practical purposes posing here as just being common patrons. "She's basically a very `good' person," I spoke, rising to Darlanis' "defense". "A sort of `She-Ra' in some ways," I added. "Hillary Clinton wasn't an `evil' person either," Carol then said, sipping now at her drink. "At least she didn't think so." "The `Queen of America'," Bob grinned, "That was Hillary." |
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